Your first license can be anything you qualify to receive based on the test elements you pass. There are no longer any "in-grade" time requirements for any amateur license.

- If you pass only Element 2, you will get a Tech license.

- If you pass Elements 1 and 2, you will get a Tech license, but you will also have the Novice HF privileges.

- If you pass Elements 1, 2 and 3, you will receive a General license.

- If you pass Elements 1, 2, 3, and 4, you will receive an Amateur Extra license.

Note that Element 1 is required for both General and Extra. If you only pass Elements 2 and 3, or 2, 3, and 4, you will only receive a Tech license.

Any "unused" elements you pass (such as Element 1 if you don't get the General or Extra, or Elements 3 and/or 4 if you don't pass the code) will result in a CSCE (Certificate of Successful Completion of Examination) that can be used for up to 365 days as credit towards a later upgrade.

Just to clarify, you do not have to get a Tech license first but you do have to take and pass the Tech written before you are allowed to take the General written.

As the previous poster mentioned, you must take and pass elements 1, 2, and 3 to get a General license. You can take them all at one test session if you are ready. If you pass all three elements, you will start out as a General.

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